HC Encoder input file challenge/ AVIsynth script?

[Canon GL-2 Guy]

Apparently this app only accepts .avs and .d2v files.

I wanted to try this to ascertain whether it far better than the standard Adobe Media Encoder which I've used for years.

Here's the scenario in brief:

Finally, I sucessfully transformed a HD 16:9 HDV file to a SD NTSC widescreen one which plays and looks nice on Premiere for example.

I'm pretty new to AviSynth.

Someone told me I have to use Notepad again and prepare another Avisynth script in order for HC encoder to recognize and load the Lagarith downsized SD file that was output from VirtualDub.

Is that right?

Would someone please fill in the missing parts of this puzzle so i can see for myself how good HC Encoder is & how much time it takes to process files?

Thanks

[jman98]

Yes it is correct that you have to use AviSynth. And I get that you are new to it. BUT...
Are you completely unwilling to do even the most modest of searches for documentation and guides? You really could look this up you know.

Here's an example script.
--------------------
directshowsource("C:/MYDIR/MYFILE.MPG")
converttoyv12()
------------------------

Change the path in the example to where your file lives. And you need to install AviSynth first.

[manono]

AVISource("C:\Path\To\Lagarith.avi",False)#False disables the audio (if any)
#ConvertToYV12()#if not already YV12 and is progressive. If not YV12, you should have made it so when creating the Lagarith AVI.
#ConvertToYV12(Interlaced=True)#if not already YV12 and is Interlaced

And if it's in RGB. you should also convert the colorspace with a Matrix conversion also. For example:

ConvertToYV12(Matrix="PC.601")

And I believe the newest HCEnc also accepts YUY2 (not positive about that), if you made your Lagarith AVI in that colorspace. To find the colorspace, in case you're not sure, add the line:

Info()

right after the AVISource line and open it in VDub(Mod). If you intend to use either of the lines with the '#' in front, remove that '#'.

[Canon GL-2 Guy]

Some other "famous" contributors here in the forum strongly suggested I use the RGB colorspace and not one of the others to the maximum extent to avoid certain types of "issues".

I'm away for most of the weekend, so upon return I will endeavor to incorporate your valuable input and report back when tried.

BTW, my expertise and knowledge does not fall in the source code/programing arena so the concept of scripts and how to create them is almost entirely foreign to me. Not all of us as the same skils, aptitude and level of understanding.

To be continued.

Thanks so much.

[poisondeathray]

Yes, use RGB coming out of Premiere, especially if you have used any filters like color correction

I think manono's post has a typo , he probably meant to say Rec601.

It should be ConvertToYV12(interlaced=true) for interlaced chroma sampling since you have interlaced 60i HDV source and project settings, and no matrix specified which is just the default Rec601 matrix (PC matrix will cause black to be at Y'=0 and white to be at Y'=255 - i.e. illegal levels. Legal DVD and broadcast levels should by Y' 16-235)

[manono]

Oh, that's right, I remember you saying you should export RGB out of Premiere. Thanks for the correction as that's out of my area of expertise, such as it is.

As for your second correction, perhaps you're right also, although there's nothing at all 'illegal' about levels on DVD below 16 and above 235. I was taking part of a script that first converted to RGB in order to use an RGB-only filter and then converted back to YV12 (ConvertToRGB24(Matrix="PC.601").Filter().ConvertT oYV12(Matrix="PC.601"). Perhaps if you're already in RGB to correctly get to YV12 yours is more accurate. Or is what I just said about how to convert to RGB and then back again to YV12 wrong as well? It does serve to keep the levels the way they were which is what I'm interested in. I have no interest at all in tampering with the levels unless they're out of whack to begin with (blacks crushed and/or whites blown out).

[poisondeathray]

Yep, nothing "illegal", but your talking about small excursions. Assuming he's color corrected so it looks "normal" in premiere's program monitor, a RGB=>YV12 PC matrix will crush blacks and blowout whites . Premiere works in RGB , and the HDV conversion uses Rec709 for CS5 (although some filters can work in YUV before the RGB conversion). Even if he did no color correction, exported , then used a PC matrix this will still crush blacks and blowout whites. Only if you took control of the initial YUV=>RGB conversion, and used a full range PC matrix (instead of Rec709), would using a full range matrix to convert from RGB back to YUV work

[manono]

Yep, nothing "illegal", but your talking about small excursions. Assuming he's color corrected so it looks "normal" in premiere's program monitor, a RGB=>YV12 PC matrix will crush blacks and blowout whites.

Yes, small excursions. OK, thanks for taking the time to explain.

[Canon GL-2 Guy]

Greetings Gents!

Please, would one of you phenoms/script masters care to combine the above responses into the best script for my case?

I'm not sure what to pick or omit from the above and what order to put it in.

I confirm the input file under discussion is 24 bit Lagarith RGB with color correction exported from CS 5.5.

Thanks in advance for laying it out for a newbie!

[Junior1]

Please, please, if you can help me! I can not troubleshoot!
When I convert HD to DVD, it seems that everything is fine when I play a
video on a computer that is not noticeable, but on TV, this is noted!
Video little spores, shaking ... How to fix this? Please, please,
if you can tell me. I have installed AviSynth version 2.6.0.4, but I also
have windows 7 x64 bit, is there something wrong? On conversion, the use
of HC encoder version 0.2.5, but no more how to fix this shaking? Please, I
do not know how to fix this? Need any special filters for AviSynth?
Sorry for my English, I come from Slovenia and I do not understand English, I help you with google translate!
I hope you know what you wonder?
Thanks for your reply!

[jagabo]

When I convert HD to DVD... on TV... Video little spores, shaking

Post a short sample of your converted video.

[jagabo]

On conversion, the use
of HC encoder version 0.2.5, but no more how to fix this shaking? Please, I
do not know how to fix this? Need any special filters for AviSynth?

I don't see anything wrong with the VOB file you posted. There are no bitrate spikes that would cause problems with a DVD player. The average bitrate is only ~3300 kbps. The max GOP size is 15 frames. 2 consecutive B frames max. Normal PAL frame size (720x576) and frame rate (25 pfs).

I'm not sure what you mean by "little spores, shaking". There are some posterization artifacts and B-frame pumping, especially in dark areas. That might be exacerbated by a too-light black level on your TV. A higher average bitrate would help with that (the source video is pretty grainy so it will need more bitrate than a very clean source). You might get some vertical bounce from a poor deinterlacer on your TV -- your VOB is encoded interlaced even though the frames are progressive. Encoding progressive should give you better results.

[manono]

If you run the Preview in DGIndex you'll see it flipping back and forth between progressive and interlaced with most of it being progressive. The majority of PAL DVDs are encoded as interlaced and people don't complain about them. But I haven't seen one that flips back and forth as this one does so maybe that's the problem he's having, whatever that might be (the standalone DVD player changing from deinterlacing to playing progressive frames and back and forth?). Even though the bitrate is low, the average Q isn't all that bad.

I might suggest reencoding it using HCEnc, making sure it encodes for all progressive or all interlaced. Post the INI file for this encode. And I'm thinking other players might not have the problem. Can Junior1 try the DVD in a different player?

Or maybe, as you speculated, he's talking about moving blocks in dark areas. If so, I'd also suggest calibrating his TV set. Or reencoding for a higher bitrate. Or both.

[Junior1]

Post the INI file for this encode.
...Can Junior1 try the DVD in a different player?

I have three DVD players and all three video displays exactly the same ... There is probably something wrong with my settings in the HC encoders? This is my INI file:

*INFILE c:\users\uporabnik\desktop\movie.avs
*OUTFILE D:\TEMP\lol.m2v
*LOGFILE D:\TEMP\lol.log
*BITRATE 4444
*MAXBITRATE 9000
*FRAMES 0 184895
*PROFILE best
*AUTOGOP 15
*INTRAVLC 2
*MATRIX mpeg

Thanks for your reply and I wish all a happy new year!

[jagabo]

If you run the Preview in DGIndex you'll see it flipping back and forth between progressive and interlaced with most of it being progressive.

I didn't notice that. And I didn't know HcEnc could do that. It must be because I always use HcGUI with just progressive or interlaced settings. Maybe the Auto setting switches automatically?

<edit>

Yes, I just checked the manual -- Auto will switch between progressive and interlaced on a frame-by-frame basis. If your source is all progressive you should force progressive mode instead.

[hank315]

I tried your encode, it looks OK on a PC, also on a pretty large TV (using a USB port).
For this movie I would use something like this:

*INFILE           G:\scratch\Diehard\...
*OUTFILE          G:\scratch\Diehard\out.m2v
*LOGFILE          G:\scratch\Diehard\out.log
*BITRATE          4444
*MAXBITRATE       9000
*FRAMES           0 184895
*PROFILE          best
*AUTOGOP          15
*DC_PREC          9
*PROGRESSIVE
*BFF
*BIAS             20
*INTRAVLC         2
*MATRIX           mpeg
*LUMGAIN          1
*CHROMAFORMAT     420

You could add the next:

*MASK_SHIFT       64 80 8

The source seems to have black bars (top and bottom) of 72 lines
The *MASK_SHIFT command will shift the real content 8 lines up and mask the upper 64 and lower 80 lines.
Then the edge of the black bars will be at 16x16 MacroBlock borders, so all the black bar MB's can be skipped giving some more bits to the real content.

Yes, I just checked the manual -- Auto will switch between progressive and interlaced on a frame-by-frame basis. If your source is all progressive you should force progressive mode instead.

Yes, auto will switch progressive/interlaced dependent of the content of the source planes. But if the source type is known, it's always better to force progressive or interlaced.
In this case it should be forced progressive indeed.

[jagabo]

Please, please, if you can help me!

Try this DVD ISO image (in a ZIP file) made from your VOB file.